Hydraulic Fracturing

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    North Carolina Fracking Commission Postpones First Meeting

    In 2012 the North Carolina legislature cleared the way for the state to allow horizontal fracking of shale (see NC Law to Legalize (and Encourage) Fracking Advances). The law gave state officials two years to come up with rules and regulations to govern fracking in NC. Along the way a lawsuits were launched, slowing things down (see Judge Puts NC Fracking on Hold Pending Outcome of Lawsuit). The case got resolved in January 2016. However, even if a company wants to begin drilling, members of North Carolina’s Oil & Gas Commission, who would approve applications, have not been sworn in (see NC Fracking Remains in Limbo, 5 Yrs After Legislature Approved It). Nine commissioners were appointed by outgoing Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republican legislature–but new Gov. Roy Cooper (Democrat) refuses to swear in the commissioners and allow fracking to begin. One more Democrat who acts like a dictator. Where have we seen that before? No matter. The new Oil & Gas Commission isn’t waiting for Cooper. The Commission scheduled its first official meeting yesterday, in Sanford. Antis accused the agency of “going rogue” (they should talk!). However, at the last minute, on Tuesday, the Commission’s new chairman, Jim Womack, said the first meeting will be postponed until October or November, to give more time for state ethics officials to review economic disclosure statements of commission appointees for potential conflicts of interest. Looks like it will be six years before any fracking takes place in the Tar Heal State…
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    Quebec Government Publishes Draft Utica Fracking Regulations

    Although the primary focus of Marcellus Drilling News has always been on Marcellus and Utica Shale gas (and oil) as found in the northeastern U.S., the Utica Shale also underlies part of Canada’s Quebec province. And from time to time we highlight news concerning the Utica in Canada. There hasn’t been much news to highlight over the years since Quebec has had a moratorium on fracking at least as long as New York’s moratorium (NY’s ban as of today has been 9 years, 1 month and 29 days). But as we reported back in December, something of a minor miracle happened–the Quebec National Assembly voted to pass Bill 106, ostensibly to support Quebec’s “clean power plan” (see Fracking in Canadian Utica Shale Takes Big Step Closer to Reality). The bill includes a section that “lays out a framework for oil and gas development” in Quebec. Fracking will not begin immediately. The bill does, however, mean that new regulations will come along in 2017 and after that, it’s an almost certainty that fracking will begin. Those draft rules have finally been released (full copy of the 266-page document below), nearly 10 months later. Questerre Energy, which owns Canadian Utica leases in Quebec and has long lobbied get the government to allow Utica drilling, shares the good news that we have taken another step closer toward fracking in Quebec…
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    Governors from PA-NY-DE Vote to Ban Fracking in Dela. River Basin

    Well they did it. Yesterday at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), representatives for the five voting members voted to begin the process of formalizing a permanent ban on fracking in the Delaware River Basin. It wasn’t unexpected, but it was hotly contested–by both sides in the debate. As we’ve previously chronicled, the DRBC is composed of five voting members: the governors of Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, New Jersey, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The governors all sent people to represent them at the meeting, with clear instructions. The three Democrat governors–Tom Wolf (PA), Andrew Cuomo (NY), and John Carney (DE) all voted in favor of a resolution to take the next step in the process of a permanent ban, voting to adopt a draft resolution MDN previously shared (see DRBC Votes Tomorrow on Permanent Frack Ban Resolution). Gov. Chris Christie’s (NJ) rep abstained from the vote, and the Army Corps, which answers to the White House, voted NO. Steven Tambini, DRBC’s executive director, has clearly lost control of the organization. Or perhaps he never had control to begin with. Tambini urged critics to “withhold judgment” until they see the regulations that Big Green groups cook up. Big Green groups like THE Delaware Riverkeeper (aka Maya van Rossum) should be elated–but they still had sourpusses on. They didn’t like language in the resolution that would allow frack wastewater to be hauled/disposed of inside their precious Delaware River Basin playground. Meanwhile, landowners in Wayne and Pike counties in PA are getting the royal shaft–they will never be able to lease their land for drilling. In 2015 PA Gov. Wolf offered to help those landowners, in return for a political quid pro quo–support his severance tax plan (see PA Gov Wolf Offered Deal in ’15 to Open Dela. River Basin Drilling). The landowners did not support Wolf’s loony severance tax plan, so now it’s payback. Wolf is going to strip their property rights away…
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    PA Gov Wolf Offered Deal in ’15 to Open Dela. River Basin Drilling

    Here’s a surprise: Big Green mouthpiece PBS StateImpact Pennsylvania is dishing some dirt on one of their own–PA Gov. Tom Wolf. We’ve been closely following the developing situation with the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) finally coming out of the closet as an extended arm of radical Big Green group Delaware Riverkeeper. The DRBC will vote (today) on beginning the process to permanently ban fracking in the Delaware River Basin (DRB), which will prevent landowners in Wayne and Pike counties (PA) from accessing the bountiful shale gas under their land (see our article yesterday, DRBC Votes Tomorrow on Permanent Frack Ban Resolution). The DRBC is composed of five voting members: the governors of NY, PA, DE, NJ and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A final new regulation that permanently bans fracking would need those five votes. According to an article published yesterday by StateImpact PA, in a 2015 meeting with Wayne County landowners who support fracking, Gov. Wolf offered to work on opening up the DRB for fracking–IF the landowner group in Wayne County would support his push for a severance tax in return. People at the meeting said, “it almost felt like a bribe.” Maybe because it *was* a bribe! A political bribe. Fortunately the landowners from Wayne didn’t take the bait, they did not support his loony tunes severance tax plan. So now it’s payback time, with Wolf signaling he will vote for a permanent ban on fracking…
    Read More “PA Gov Wolf Offered Deal in ’15 to Open Dela. River Basin Drilling”

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    It’s Time to Start Drilling, Fracking & Piping in…New Jersey?!

    Will fracking come to New Jersey? We asked that question back in 2013 (see Will Fracking Come to…New Jersey?!). At the time we pointed out the Marcellus/Utica only marginally touches the border of NJ, but that another rock layer called the Newark Basin underlies most of the state. We cautioned folks not to hold their breath, with good reason. There’s been zero talk about drilling in NJ since that time. However, there’s been plenty of talk about building pipelines to carry PA’s fracked Marcellus gas into the Garden State. What got us to thinking about fracking in NJ was an opinion article published yesterday by TV and radio personality Bill Spadea–a conservative Republican who lives and works in NJ (qualifies him as a missionary, in our book). Spadea makes a strong case that if NJ wants to fix its perpetual budget mess (huge state debts), there is a way–by encouraging (yes) fracking, and off-shore drilling, and more pipelines into and through the state. If NJ takes his advice, it would “Make New Jersey great again”…
    Read More “It’s Time to Start Drilling, Fracking & Piping in…New Jersey?!”

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    DRBC Votes Tomorrow on Permanent Frack Ban Resolution

    Turns out the rumors were true. The Delaware River Basin Commission has now been totally corrupted by Big Green groups and plans to vote tomorrow, Sept. 13, on a resolution that begins the process of implementing a permanent ban on fracking in the Delaware River Basin. This is not the end, but the beginning of the end, of any hope for landowners in Wayne and Pike counties in PA. Their property rights will (like those of us who live in New York) be stripped away. Except in Wayne and Pike, it will be a permanent stripping away. At least in NY we have the hope of one day ejecting Lord Cuomo from office and reversing the ongoing moratorium. However, even though this should be a total win for radicals like THE Delaware Riverkeeper (aka Maya van Rossum), the radicals are STILL not happy! Can you believe it?! Part of the proposed resolution and rulemaking to follow will consider allowing frack wastewater disposal within the DRBC’s fiefdom. That just can’t stand according to Maya and her rad pals. Here’s the DRBC announcement, news coverage of it (with quotes from radical groups), along with a copy of the proposed resolution that will be voted on tomorrow…
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    No DRBC Frack Ban…Yet; A Look at DRBC Corruption & Incompetence

    Last week the rumor mill was hot with speculation that on Friday the Delaware River Basin Commission would release a draft document outlining their proposal to ban hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin permanently (see DRBC Secretly Working on Permanent Delaware Basin Frack Ban). Fortunately, that didn’t happen. But don’t start celebrating just yet. The rumors are still swirling. Apart from a single Associated Press article (run in dozens of newspapers), there has been no other coverage of this big news. Why is that? Why is mainstream media so uncurious about a potential DRBC frack ban? The person doing the real work on this story is MDN friend Tom Shepstone. Writing on his blog site Natural Gas Now on Saturday, Tom did a masterful job of chronicling the foibles of the DRBC–and he laid out how we got to where we are now, with a potential permanent ban. In a nutshell, landowners in Wayne County, PA sued to reverse a grievous error, challenging the DRBC’s authority to regulate fracking in the basin. That lawsuit, and the very real possibility that a decision will go against the DRBC, prompted radical environmental groups like THE Delaware Riverkeeper to push for a DRBC permanent ban. The effort for a permanent ban, which (for now) would only affect Wayne and Pike counties in PA, went into overdrive a few months ago. Here’s Tom’s excellent article, which will bring you up to speed and prepare you for when the news of a permanent ban eventually does break–possibly this week at the DRBC regularly scheduled meeting…
    Read More “No DRBC Frack Ban…Yet; A Look at DRBC Corruption & Incompetence”

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    DRBC Secretly Working on Permanent Delaware Basin Frack Ban

    It was just yesterday that MDN highlighted a story written by friend Tom Shepstone on his Natural Gas Now website theorizing that the Delaware River Basin Commission, long influenced by big money coming from the Haas family via the William Penn Foundation and their surrogates, is planning to implement a full ban on fracking in the Delaware River Basin (see Tom’s story: Is the William Penn Foundation Planning a DRBC Ban?). Looks like Tom is a soothsayer. Elements of the William Penn cabal are leaking, like a sieve, news that the DRBC is about to introduce a permanent frack ban, which includes a ban in Wayne and Pike counties in Pennsylvania. The proposed ban may be introduced as early as today. We suppose the news shouldn’t surprise us, given that in July anti groups, including the William Penn lobbying arm Delaware Riverkeeper, hit the panic button (because of a lawsuit) and ramped up an effort to push a permanent ban (see Anti Groups Panic, Demand Govs Ban Fracking in Dela. River Basin). The big question is what will the prevaricating PA Gov. Tom Wolf do? He has mouthed support for a moratorium, but so far has not signed on for a permanent ban. Will he sell out all the way and now support a ban–screwing thousands of his own constituents? Who knows. Here’s the breaking news…
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    Yale U Launches Another Sham Fracking Study, Predetermined Outcome

    In June 2016 MDN told you about a sham “study” on the way from an anti-drilling “researcher” from Yale University, funded by Big Green groups (see Yale Arrives in Belmont County to Study the Evils of Fracking). “Researcher” Nicole Deziel arrived in Belmont County and announced, in so many words, she would drag a $20 bill through a trailer park (literally willing to pay only $20) to “study” air and water samples from residents’ domiciles as part of a new research “project” with a predetermined outcome–that they’re being poisoned by fracking. Ms. Deziel wanted 100 participants and ended up with 66. After eight weeks of collecting samples and talking to people, Ms. Deziel held a wrap-up rally with area residents before departing town to discuss the “study”–saying she has no conclusions, yet. The reason we knew the Yale “study” is a put-up job, and not real science, is because at the very same wrap-up meeting residents also heard from the radical anti-drilling group Ohio Environmental Council. That was the tip-off that this was not real research but hucksterism with a predetermined outcome (see Put-Up Job: Yale “Researchers” Meet with Locals in Belmont County). Ms. Deziel and a cabal of Yale “researchers” are back to “launch a new study on the health effects of hydraulic fracturing.” This time Deziel and company have hit big money–the “study” is being funded with $2 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. Antis doing “research” have fleeced the EPA into backing them for another study with a predetermined outcome. A true waste of taxpayer’s money. But hey, it’s made millionaires out the researchers!…
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    3rd University of Cincinnati Finds No Problems with Utica Fracking

    The University of Cincinnati (UC) has now used $470,000 of taxpayer money for three research studies (over the past four years) to study the health effects of Utica Shale fracking. One of the studies dealing with ambient air pollution (published in March 2015) had such major errors the authors retracted it in June 2016 (see Ohio Air “Study” Near Frack Sites Retracted for Basic Math Error). Kind of embarrassing. Another study was completed 18 months ago, looking at potential issues of fracking on nearby water wells in Ohio. That study was funded, in part, by anti organizations who didn’t like the findings–that there IS NO negative impact of fracking on groundwater. So they’ve hushed it up and have refused to allow it’s publication (see Chorus Grows Louder for U of Cinci to Release Fracking Study). Now come leaks that a third research project has been completed at UC, once again looking at air samples near fracking sites–this time looking for elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde. The findings are that, “none of the air sample averages exceeded EPA levels of health concern.” Looks like yet another UC study that will get buried and never see the light of day…
    Read More “3rd University of Cincinnati Finds No Problems with Utica Fracking”

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    PA DEP Raising Shale Well Permit Fee Later This Year

    The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection has put drillers (and everyone) on notice that it will bump up the fee to file for a permit to drill a Marcellus Shale well. Prior to 2013, the permit fee for a new Marcellus well was $3,200. In 2013 the DEP bumped it up by 56%, to $5,000 (see Higher Marcellus Permit Fees Coming for PA Drillers). The DEP says statutorily it must review the fee “every three years” and now is the time (past time, really). The DEP is signaling “the need for a fee increase.” How much? The DEP is being coy about what kind of a jump they plan this time…
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    WSJ Harpoons NY Gov Cuomo for His “Blockade” of Natural Gas

    The editors at the Wall Street Journal have taken the gloves off with respect to the insane policies of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo when it comes to natural gas. Because of Cuomo’s “blockade” of natural gas, by banning fracking and by blocking natural gas pipelines from Pennsylvania into NY, Cuomo stands on the cusp of not only ruining his own state with high prices for natural gas–he’s going to ruin it for other states (like those in New England) as well. Cuomo wanted the Indian Point Nuclear plant closed–and it’s closing. He wants coal plants closed, and they have. But at the same time, the state is adding new natural-gas fired electric generating plants, like the one in Orange County. So far, Cuomo’s corrupted Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has refused to issue a permit for a pipeline to feed the plant (see NY DEC Holds Sham “Hearing” for Power Plant Pipeline). If the plant doesn’t get the pipeline, it will burn dirty oil instead. The state is building 11 new microgrids that use natural gas to generate electricity–including in the center of NY’s capitol, Albany (see NY Building Not Just One, but Eleven (!) NatGas-Fired Micogrids). And yet Cuomo continues to reject major pipeline projects to bring more gas to NY. Guess what that will do to the price of natural gas and electricity in the Empire State? And what about the price of natgas and electricity in New England? Already Northeast residents pay 29% more for natural gas and 44% more for electricity than the U.S. average. What a tragedy. Loads of natural gas waiting to serve those markets, produced in PA, WV and OH–and Cuomo refuses to let it in. The Journal takes him to task for it…
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    Recent Drilling Downturn Created “The A-Team” of Rig Fleets

    According to a recent column on WorldOil.com, you can thank the recent downturn in oil and gas prices with producing the lean, mean drilling machines we have today. Because of the downturn, only the “most mechanically sharp, efficient and best-equipped drilling rigs and crews were left operating in the downturn.” The result? It created “the A-Team.” The rigs and crews operating now drill twice as fast at half the cost of just a few years ago. According to Chesapeake CEO Doug “the ax” Lawler, “We don’t need to run 175 rigs anymore. Forty or 50 rigs can deliver the same volume today.” Our point: Today we have far fewer rigs operating, but they’re producing far more oil and gas than they ever have. Welcome to the world shale created…
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    NC Fracking Remains in Limbo, 5 Yrs After Legislature Approved It

    In 2012 the North Carolina legislature cleared the way for the state to allow horizontal fracking of shale (see NC Law to Legalize (and Encourage) Fracking Advances). The law gave state officials two years to come up with rules and regulations to govern fracking in NC. Along the way a lawsuits were launched, slowing things down (see Judge Puts NC Fracking on Hold Pending Outcome of Lawsuit). That case was resolved in January 2016. However, the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) didn’t let the lawsuit stop them from drilling a series of test holes in Stokes, Scotland, Hoke and Cumberland counties to see whether shale gas is present in those locations (see Lawsuit Won’t Stop NC Agency from Drilling Test Holes in Shale). Unfortunately test results showed that three of the four counties have no measurable presence of Triassic shale and therefore are not suitable for drilling (see Whatever Happened to Fracking in North Carolina?). Even if a company wanted to begin drilling, members of the North Carolina’s Oil & Gas Commission who would approve applications have not been sworn in. Nine commissioners were appointed by outgoing Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republican legislature–but new Gov. Roy Cooper (Democrat) refuses to swear in the commissioners and allow fracking to begin. One more Democrat who acts like a dictator. Where have we seen that before?…
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    Fracking Comes to Kentucky – Encore Drills First Horizontal Oil Wells

    Click for larger version

    Kentucky is an interesting state with respect to the oil and gas industry. Historically there has been a fair amount of conventional (vertical only) drilling for oil and gas in the state. Over the past few years there have been a number of gas and petrochemical projects in the state (see our Kentucky stories here). However, the state also has a liberal tilt, at least when it comes to fracking and pipelines. A few years ago Kentucky pretty much single-handedly axed the Bluegrass NGL (natural gas liquids) pipeline, a $1.5 billion project that would have stretched from the Utica/Marcellus all the way to Gulf Coast (see Kentucky House Votes to End Eminent Domain for Bluegrass Pipeline). As for fracking, in 2015 the Kentucky Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, a group that “rarely meets” (previous meeting was in 2006) held a meeting to consider granting Kentucky’s very first deep horizontal natural gas drilling permit (see Kentucky Fracking One Step Closer: Commission Considers 1st Permit). The permit under consideration was to drill in the Rogerville Shale, by an affiliate of EQT. So when we spotted a press release/article about Encore Energy currently drilling its first (of four) horizontal oil wells in the Berea in Kentucky, wells that will be fracked…that’s big news! No, it’s not the Marcellus/Utica, but it’s close to us, and it’s in the Appalachian region. And it’s fracking a horizontal well in a state that has not been overly friendly in approving such activities. Here’s the low down on Encore…
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    Anti Groups Panic, Demand Govs Ban Fracking in Dela. River Basin

    Radical anti-fossil fuelers with THE Delaware Riverkeeper and New Jersey Sierra Club, along with a mish mash of other fringe “environmental” groups, are becoming shrill in their demand that fracking be permanently banned in the Delaware River Basin. Riverkeeper, Sierra Club and other nutjob groups are this week delivering a petition they claim has over 63,000 signatures (many of them made up or dead) calling on the governors of the four states that are part of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to vote to permanently ban fracking in the DRBC’s jurisdiction. Each day this week the group of, whatever you call them, are delivering the petitions in staged media events, in each state capital. These groups have wanted and lobbied for a permanent ban for years. Why push so hard for it now? What’s the urgency? Why go on the road now to demand an outright ban? There is only one reason we can think of for why these radicals are pushing so hard now: they are running scared, concerned that a lawsuit by a Wayne County landowner in federal court will go against the DRBC and finally force the issue, allowing fracking (see Wayne County Landowner Files Brief in Case Against DRBC Frack Ban). Once fracking begins in the Delaware River Basin–and let us assure you, it will–and once everyone sees that fracking is safe and has zero impact on drinking water supplies, the lie anti-frackers have pedaled since Josh Fox and Gasland will be exposed for all to see. That’s why they are in a panic, “demanding” that fracking be banned, NOW. They need to get it banned before the judge makes a decision to allow it…
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